Low profile bathtub assembly

ABSTRACT

A low profile bathtub assembly having a bathtub with a bottom, side walls, and end walls wherein the first end wall has an overflow port and an angled portion having a drain port with both the drain port and overflow port fluidly connected to a drain assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a low profile bathtub assembly and more specifically to a bathtub that eliminates the need to cut a groove in the floor during installation.

Bathtubs are well known in the art and are used with drain assemblies generally having a drain pipe with a drain elbow that extends below the bottom of the tub and is connected to an overflow pipe as shown in FIG. 1. To install the drain assembly, traditionally, a plumber will cut a slot in the bathroom floor to accommodate the drain elbow and reduce the possibility of bumping or damaging the elbow when the tub is placed in its final location. This process not only is expensive, but also is time consuming. Accordingly, there is a need for a bathtub that allows faster and easier installation of the drain assembly.

Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub that is easier and more economical to install.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub that eliminates the need to cut a groove in the floor.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a bathtub having a drainage port in an end wall.

These and other objects, features, or advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the specification and claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is for a low profile bathtub assembly. The bathtub has a bottom, side walls and first and second end walls. Within the first end wall is an overflow port that has an overflow pipe extending therethrough and is in communication with a drain system. The same end wall additionally has an angled bottom portion that contains a drain port that is adjacent the bottom of the bathtub and additionally is in communication with the drain system. Also, a recess is placed on the bottom of the bathtub adjacent the drain port and is specially angled to facilitate the draining process.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a conventional bathtub; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of the bathtub of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 2, the bathtub 10 of the present invention has a bottom 12, sidewalls 14, and end walls 16 and 18. The end wall 16 has a generally vertical portion 20 and a tapered or angled portion 22 that terminates in the bottom 12. Positioned within the vertical portion 20 is an overflow port 24 and positioned within the angled portion 22 of the end wall 16 is a drain port 26.

Connected to the bathtub 10 is a drain assembly 28 having an overflow pipe 30 that is connected to the overflow port 24 in any conventional manner. The drain assembly 28 also has a drain pipe 32 that is connected to the drain port 26 at a first end 34 and is connected to the overflow pipe at a second end 36. The drain pipe 32 is connected to the overflow pipe 30 in any conventional manner such as integrally formed or connected by a T-bar 38 as shown in FIG. 2. The first end 34 of the drain pipe 32 may be angled to fit the drain port 26 or a connector (not shown) is used to connect a conventional drain pipe to the drain port 26.

Alternatively, the bottom 12 of the bathtub 10 has a recess 38 adjacent the angled portion 22 of the end wall 16. The recess 38 dwells below the generally horizontal plane of the bottom 12 of the bathtub 10 and has a recess bottom 40 that extends from the angled portion 22 to a tapered section 42 that extends from the recess bottom 40 to the bottom 12 of the tub 10.

The bathtub 10 is installed by first connecting the overflow pipe 30 and the drain pipe 32 to the T-bar 38. Next, the tub 10 is moved into position and the overflow pipe 30 is connected to the overflow port 24 and the drain pipe 32 is connected to the drain port 26 at the first end 30. Because the drain port 26 is positioned within the angled portion 22 of the end wall 16 of the tub 10, the drain pipe 32 is connected to the drain port 26 such that the drain pipe 32 extends outwardly from end wall 32 and above the bottom 12 of the tub 10 rather than below the bottom 12 of the tub 10. Accordingly, a plumber need not cut a groove in the floor to reduce the possibility of bumping or damaging the elbow of a drain assembly when the tub is placed in its final location. Thus, as shown, the objectives of this invention have been met.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that other various modifications could be made to the device without the parting from the spirit in scope of this invention. All such modifications and changes fall within the scope of the claims and are intended to be covered thereby. 

1. A low profile bathtub assembly comprising: a bathtub having a bottom, sidewalls and a first and a second end wall; a drain port within the first end wall adjacent the bottom in fluid communication with a drain system; and an overflow port within the first end wall and in communication with the drain system.
 2. The drain assembly of claim 1 further comprising a recess within the bottom of the bathtub adjacent the drain port.
 3. The drain assembly of claim 1 wherein the drain port is positioned within an angled portion of the first end wall. 